Gravy strainer



March 3, 1942. A B, PRlNZLE'R 2,275,268

GRAVY STRAINER Filed May 1, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 i INVENTOR.

89M 2f. www.

ATTORNE March 3, i942. A, B. PRINZLER 2,275,268

GRAVY STRAINER Filed May l, 1939 2 Sheets-SheetI 2 FIG. 5.

INVENTOR.. ANNA B. PRlNZLER 7M @mm/nf.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE GRAVY STRAINER Anna B. Prinzler, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application May 1, 1939, Serial No. 271,217

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a strainer and more particularly to a strainer for removing lumps from gravy.

In using my device, the gravy may be poured directly from the skillet or spider into a gravy boat or bowl and in a manner to avoid objectionable deposits of the gravy outside of the bowl.

It will be appreciated that one novel feature of my invention is the wide rim covering the edge of the gravy boat or the like whereby the same is protected. The rim thus provides a protecting and shielding device and also adds to the capacity of the strainer.

It will be understood that it is desirable to slant the rim slightly upwardly and outwardly whereby any gravy which may be poured thereon will gravitate towards the mesh bowl of the strainer.

The underside of the rim rests upon the top edge of the boat or bowl and its tapered construction makes for a steady positioning of the strainer. Or, in some cases, the recess in the underside of the handle of the strainer receives an upwardly extending protuberance, as the handle tip, of the boat or pitcher.

Another feature of my invention lies in the inner depending flange, this flange directing the gravy vertically downward into the mesh whereby objectional lateral movement of the gravy immediately below the flange is prevented or hindered. Also, the gravy does not come into contact with the solidied metal which connects the top edge of the mesh with the underside of the rim.

It will also be noted that my strainer is longv whereby the skillet, during pouring, may be alined therewith to prevent spilling of the gravy as surges may flow down.

My handle also slopes upwardly from the bowl proper of the strainer thus keeping any gravy from tending to llow therealong.

Another feature is the low cost of manufacturing my invention and its neatl appearance, and I hereby reserve my right to file a design patent thereon.

Other features and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top view of my gravy strainer.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, parts being broken away in order to better illustrate the article.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view taken through the rim and showing the attachment of the mesh thereto.

Fig. 4 is a view at right angles to Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top view of a gravy boat or pitcher with a dotted line showing of my improved and new strainer thereabove.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a gravy boat or the like, resting upon a platter, with the dotted line showing indicating the downward movement of the gravy strainer into position.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, numeral I0 indicates a handle portion, of curved cross section as indicated, and having a hole II to suspend the article as desired. The handle is curved downwardly at I2, see Fig. 2, whereby any hot gravy is prevented from flowing onto the hands of the user, and a depressed portion of V-shape is indicated at I3. The handle has a recessed portion I4 oppositely located to the curved part I2 and this recess I4 may t over the handle tip of the gravy boat or the like in certain cases.

From the depressed portion I3 a rim I5 is-extended as shown and, as shown in Fig. 2, the rim is curved downwardly and inwardly.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the rim I5 carries a depending integral flange I6 and a mesh I'I, preferably formed of wire, encircles rthis flange. Molten metal or solder is applied at I8 to cover the several upper ends of the wires forming the mesh and the wires reinforce the flowed metal. The surface of the flowed metal is formed smooth vand anchors itself onto the outer surface of the flange I6. The Iiowed metal is abruptly'terminated at its lower edge as shown.

Thus an overlapped joint is formed whereby the gravy flows downwardly as shown by the arrows 20, see Fig. 3, and thus does not splatter laterally in an uncontrolled fashion. Of course, should the strainer be completely filled, there will be a flow through the mesh immediately below the flange I6 but the same will be slow and steady.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, 2| is the gravy boat or the like having an upper edge 22 of more or less irregular formation. The rim I5 ofv the strainer, shown in dotted lines, overhangs and protects the edge of the boat from any deposits of gravy. As shown, the handle I0 of the strainer is positioned over the handle of the boat to protect the same. As in Fig. 6, the handle 23 may extend upwardly to a rather sharp point and oftentimes the recess I4 in the handle I0 of the strainer may rest thereon. The strainer, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, is being moved downwardly to a position in which it would rest upon the top edge 22 of the gravy boat or rest at several places thereon. As shown, it might rest at three places, two near the tip of the boat and one near the handle.

In Fig. 6, 25 indicates a protecting dish or platter which may receive the boat.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations and elements, or equivalents thereof, by Letters Patent of the United States.

I claim- 1. An article of manufacture comprising an annular frame member having an inner depending flange, a mesh of cup shape having its upper edge encircling the ange and solder or the like attaching the mesh onto the flange, the mesh extending downwardly substantially in parallelism with the flange for a short distance whereby the gravy may drip downwardly for a distance from the inner face of the ange without contacting the mesh for the purpose described.

2. An article of manufacture comprising a handle and a rim of continuous oval shape attached thereto, the rim lying in a substantially horizontal plane but extending slightly inwardly and downwardly at a gradually lessening degree of curvature when the article is in its operative position, said rim being relatively wide, a flange attached onto the inner periphery of the rim, said flange extending vertically downward whereby a substantially right angled shoulder is formed at the juncture between the rim and the ange, straining means attached onto the lower portion of the ilange and a handle extending upwardly from the edge of the rim for a short distance and then outwardly in substantially a horizontal plane.

' ANNA B. PRINZLER. 

